Anirudh Regidistudio18Jan 13, 2022 13:10:16 IST
Smartphones under Rs 40,000 have, so far, been great choices for those looking for a good compromise between premium performance and design, but usually at the cost of premium camera features. As you’ll see from this list, however, things are about to change!
First up, we have the vivo V23 Pro 5G.
vivo V23 Pro 5G
It’s not often that we stumble across a phone as interesting as this one. Not only is it a beautifully crafted phone with among the slimmest frames and bezels we’ve seen, but it also includes a dual selfie camera combo that knocks the proverbial socks of most rear cameras in this price bracket, and a unique and fun colour-changing back that is loads of fun to mess around with. Oh, and the rear camera array is no slouch either.
vivo claims that this is India’s slimmest smartphone with a 3D curve display, and at a mere 7.36 mm thick, we don’t see any reason to doubt them. The glass melds seamlessly into the aircraft-grade aluminium frame, leading to a contoured grip that is also quite comfortable.
The display itself is a 6.56-inch FHD+ curved AMOLED panel with a 90 Hz refresh rate, and given that it’s certified for HDR content, it looks stunning and complements the phone well.
More interesting, however, is the rear. The Sunshine Gold version of this phone comes with India’s first Fluorite AG Glass Design that has a colour-changing glass on the rear that reacts to UV light, i.e., it changes colour in the sun. If you happen to have a UV lamp, there’s even more fun to be had.
If that wasn’t enough, you’re also getting fluorite AG glass that glitters and sparkles as it catches the light at various angles. This is a truly stunning phone that will hold its own in the presence of flagships costing twice as much!
The cameras are no less interesting. The rear camera array is impressive enough, featuring a 108 MP F1.88 primary camera and accompanying 8 MP ultra-wide and 2 MP macro, but it’s the front that’s fascinating. With a 50 MP selfie camera featuring eye autofocus and an extreme night mode, you’re guaranteed sharp portraits in any kind of lighting. To top it off, you get a secondary ultra-wide camera for larger groups, a tonne of AI features and 20+ portrait effects to enhance your shot, and the pièce de résistance, a dual-tone spotlight that adjusts colour temperature to ensure natural skin tones!
This spotlight also helps with the various AI camera modes like party mode to ensure you’re well lit while your background gets a dreamier look. Oh, and did we mention 4K 60, support with HDR, and dual-video options on the front camera?
Powering this slick phone is a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G chip that’s built on a 6 nm process, and it’s paired with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB of storage. A higher-end 12/256 option is also available.
The included 4,300 mAh battery will easily last you a day or more, and if it ever runs out, it’ll fast-charge to 63% in just 30 minutes, thanks to 44W Flash Charge support.
OnePlus Nord 2 X PAC-Man Edition
A great alternative to the vivo V23 Pro is the OnePlus Nord 2 x PAC-Man edition phone. It’s powered by the same Dimensity 1200 5G chip and offers a little more RAM and storage in the same price, and while it doesn’t feature a colour-changing back, it does feature a PAC-Man inspired theme and glow-in-the-dark back panel that’s no less interesting.
It is a bit heavier and thicker, and the cameras are admittedly not as impressive (50 MP F1.9 rear camera and 32 MP F2.5 on the front), but they’re great cameras in their own right and deliver excellent selfies and photos in most lighting. The rear camera also supports 4K 30 video and FHD 240 fps slo-mo.
The PAC-Man theming extends to the OS, where you’ll find a tonne of easter eggs and mini games, not to mention a custom transparent cover that complements the glow-in-the-dark rear panel!
The phone’s 4,500 mAh battery supports an impressive 65 W fast-charger.
Oppo Reno 6 Pro 5G
The Oppo Reno 6 Pro 5G is a more traditional phone in this category, featuring a simple, elegant design with front and rear glass sandwiching an aluminium frame. It gets a large, 6.55-inch FHD+ AMOLED panel that refreshes at 90 Hz, and is also powered by a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 5G chip.
12 GB RAM and 256 GB of storage can be had in this budget, but this is slower UFS 2.1 storage, which should, admittedly, not have a significant impact in day-to-day use.
At 177 grams, the phone is very light, and at 7.6 mm, also very thin.
The camera array is quite impressive as you get a 64 MP F1.7 rear camera, 8 MP F2.2 ultra-wide, and dual 2 MP F2.4 cameras for macro and depth. These cameras support 4K 30 and FHD 60 video, as well as HDR and EIS. The front camera is a 32 MP F2.4 unit with FHD30 recording capabilities.
This phone also features a large 4,500 mAh battery with that ridiculously fast, 65 W fast-charging support.
The phone is available in Black, Blue, Aurora, Majestic Gold, and in a special Diwali Edition trim.
This Article has been written by Studio18 on behalf of Vivo.
